Jim O'Keeffe
Ceist:9 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he expects developments towards a political settlement in Northern Ireland in advance of a general election in the United Kingdom.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Northern Ireland Talks.
Pat Rabbitte
Ceist:23 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the specific steps the Government intend to take to honour the commitment given in the review of the Programme for Government that they would work to find a general acceptable basis to relaunch the process of dialogue in Northern Ireland which ended last July; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take priority Questions Nos. 9 and 23 together.
As the Government have repeatedly made clear, we will spare no effort to ensure that political dialogue resumes at the earliest possible date. We do not believe that the forthcoming British election should be an obstacle in the way of talks. Intensive efforts are continuing with the aim of restarting dialogue. At the meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference on 20 November the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I had a further in-depth discussion on how progress might best be achieved.
Deputies will, of course, be aware that the Taoiseach met the British Prime Minister in Dublin on 4 December. At that meeting the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister reaffirmed their determination to do everything possible to promote agreement and reconciliation and their support for a process of political dialogue. They expressed the determination of both Governments that efforts to help find a solution would be fully commensurate with the gravity and complexity of the problem and reaffirmed their commitment to do everything possible to ensure that agreement is reached on fresh political talks addressing the relationships within Northern Ireland, within the island of Ireland and between the peoples of these islands.
On the occasion of the Taoiseach's meeting with the Prime Minister, I availed of the opportunity to have further detailed discussions with Mr. Brooke regarding the prospects for relaunching the political talks. Contacts are continuing with the political parties and I would expect to discuss the matter again shortly with the Secretary of State.
In the light of the urgency of the situation and of the killings that continue by the day, will the Minister agree that there is a need for an initiative? Will he agree that there is need for the Government to do a little more than make statements that they will not be found wanting and so on? In that context, will the Minister consider the proposal made by Deputy John Bruton, the Leader of Fine Gael, for a declaration to be signed by the leaders of the constitutional parties of these two islands asking the parties in Northern Ireland to get around the table again? Will the Minister consider an initiative of that kind?
With the recent upsurge in violence the need for progress on the political front has never been clearer than it is now. In my view, there are inescapable responsibilities on all political leaders. The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister have endorsed at the highest level of government an appeal to all parties involved to continue the search for a solution, taking into account the three vital relationships involved.
I remind the Deputy that there was an agreed basis for talks last March, a basis that took account of the sensitivities of all of the participants and that was painstakingly negotiated over some 15 months. I remain convinced that the quickest route to launching political dialogue is for the parties to reconvene on this basis rather than to launch a new and probably equally lengthy and difficult search for a different basis acceptable to all concerned.
The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister made it very clear that both Governments are most anxious that political dialogue should get under way as quickly as possible. In recent times there have been talks between the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the leaders of the constitutional parties in Northern Ireland with a view of getting these talks under way. As I said in my initial reply to Deputy O'Keeffe, I propose to meet Secretary of State Brooke before Christmas to see how we can make progress.